Message carrier for pneumatic-dispatch systems



Oct. 26 1926.

J. T. COWLEY MESSAGE CARRIER Fon PNEUMATAIG DISPATCH SYSTEMS Filed Mgroh 16 1925 V lzvez/Zo. James Z' y0u/Zeg @y @w @M ZWS Patented et. Z6, 1926.

MNTED STATES lteil PATENT FFIQ.

JAMES T. COWLEY, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW TIGRE, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON COMPANY, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW' YORK, A. CORPORATON 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

MESSAGE CARRIER FOR PNEUMATIC-DISPATCH SYSTEMS.

Application filed March 16,1925. Serial No. 15,747.

This invention pertains to carriers for pneumatic dispatch systems and relates more particularly to carriers of thetype designed for carrying slips of paper bearing memoranda or other information, such carriers being commonly known as message carriers as distinguished from the closed carriers commonly employed for transmitting money.

The usual message carrier is open at one end to permit insertion or withdrawal of the paper slip or other article to be transmitted and the principal object of the present invention is to provide a gate for the open end of the carrier adapted with certainty to prevent escape of the contents of the carrier during transmission, but which may easily and quickly be opened to permit the carrier contents to be inserted or withdrawn.

1 employ the term gate herein in a generic sense as comprehensive of any form of closure, whether a solid imperforate cover or a more or less kopen grid, and While in most instances it is preferable to provide` a gate of open-work or perforated type to permit inspection of the interior of the carrier and while I disclose herein a preferred form of such open-work gate, the invention is not limited in its broader aspects to the specilic form of closure.

1n the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of carrier, certain parts being indicated in dotted lines, the end gate being closed;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the carrier as shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is'a side elevation. partly in vertical section, substantially at right angles to the position of Fig. 1; and c Fig. fi is a section on the line 41-4 of Fig. 3. A

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the carrier body, preferably of tubular construction7 and whichtmay be made of any suitable material. For` example such body portion may consist of a suitable length of rubber hose provided at its forward or .advancing end with a re'e'nforce ringer shelll. The advancing endfof the carrier is 'providedjwith the usual/head 2 ends 10 and 11 respectively journaled in the and preferably with a washer 2EL adapted to form an air tight joint between the carrier and 'the transmission tube.

The opposite end of -the carrier body is open `and at this end the body is preferably provided with a fiexible skirt 3 whichl is forced against the interior of the transmission tube by the air pressure and thus assists in the propulsion of the carrier. This shirt forms no part of the present invention.

An elongate base plate 4, preferably of metal, vis secured to the inner surface ofthe carrier and extends longitudinally from the open end of the carrier toward its opposite end. This plate `may he secured in position in any desired manner, but preferably is provided with clips 5 which are passed 'out wardl'y through suitable openings in the carrier `body and are then bent over upon the outer surface of the latter as shown in Fig. 1.

The outer end of this plate 4 is furnished with a pair of ears 6 and 7 which 4project beyond the open end of the body and which carry aligned bearings 8 and 9. These bearings form a pivotal axis for a gate or closure which as here illustrated comprises a single lengthof wire having its opposite S5 bearings 8 and 9. The intermediate portion of this length of wire is bent to provide symmetrical bights 12 and 12 which extend across `the open end of the carrier and which terminate at the points 13 and 14. The central part of the wire then extends back toward the pivotal axis of the gate to form a bight or loop 15 havinga closed 'end 16.

The central part of the plate 4 is furnished withv an outstanding elongate housing 17 providing a guide passage 18 in which a plunger 19 is adapted to slide. This plunger is furnished with a stem 2O whose free extremity passes through a centrally disposed guide opening ink a stop plug 21 xedly secured at'th'e upper end of tlie passage 18. Alternatively, 4in place of 'this stop plug, the upper ledge lofthehousing '17 may be bent or flanged inwardly Ito `'provide the necessary V'guide'V andjsto i elements.

l'coiled spring A22`iencirc/es the'stem 20 and'b'ears atonefen'd against the stop `plug and atm-the other against the plunger 19. lspring Ais norm-ally vunder compression llO and tends to torce the plunger 19 away from the open end of the carrier.

A link 23 is pivotally connected to the upper end 24: of the stem 20. The opposite end of the link is pivotally connected to the closed end 16 of the central loop 15 ot the gate. i

The stem 2O of the plunger 19 lies substantially in that plane of the axis ot the gate which is parallel to the axis ot the carrier body. As shown in Fig. 3 the point of connection of the link 23 to the loop 15 lies to one side of this plane ot the axis of the gate. When the gate is swung from the position shown in full lines (Fig. 3) to the position shown in dotted lines, the point 16 moves in a circular arc about the axis of the gate as a center. As the gate swings upwardly the point 16 rises until it lies in the vertical plane of the axis. During this movement the spring 22 is placed under additional stress, but as the gate swings further over into thedotted line position the point 16 again moves down and the spring is thus partially relieved of its stress. The spring thus acts to hold the gate either in fully open or fully closed position.

vWhen the gate is closed any pap-ers or other articles within the carrier body are securely retainedL therein, although from the open character of the gate the contents of the carrier may be observed. When the contents of the carrier are to be removedJ the gate is swung over to the dotted line position of Fig. 3 and it remains in this position indefinitely until force is applied 'for swinging it back to its original position. This is a convenient arrangement as it permits ready insertion or withdrawal of the contents of the carrier without making it necessary for the user to hold the gate open during this operation, while at the same time it substantially prevents accidental transmission of the carrier through the tube with the gate open. y

The structure provided is extremely simple and yet it is reliable, durable and adds little to the weight or cost of production of the carrier. c

While I have illustrated one preferred method of applying the gate spring'to the carrier I contemplate that other modes of application may be devised and that the stress of the spring may be transmitted to the gate by other means than that herein shown, but I contemplate that all such mcdifications and rearrangements of parts fall within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A carrier comprising a tubular body open at one end, a gate pivoted at a point, adjacent to said open end, a spring disposed within the hollow body, and means connecting the spring to the gate comprising a linkv pivotally secured at one end to the gate at neogcaa one side of the axis of the latter, the point oi connection of the link to the gate moving from one side or the axis of the gate to the other as the gate swings from fully open to fully closed position.

2. A carrier comprising a tubular body having an open end, a hinged gate for closing said open end', an elongate guide inside of the carrier, a plunger movable along the guide, a spring opposing movement ot the plunger, and means connecting the plunger to the gate at a point to one side of the axis of the gate, said point ot connection moving from one side of the axis of the gate to the other as the gate swings from fully open to fully closed position.

3. A carrier comprising a tubular body having an open end, a hinged gate for closing said open end, an elongate guide housing secured to the inner wall of the body, said housing having a longitudinally extending guide passage therein, a plunger sliding in said guide passage, a spring disposed in said passage and urging the plunger away from the open end of the body. a stem secured to the plunger, and a link connecting the stem to the gate, said link swinging as the gate moves from fully open to fully closed position.

4. A carrier comprising a tubular body having an open end, a hinged gate for closing said end, a housingproviding an elongate guideway adjacent to the inner wall of theV body and extending longitudinally thereof, a plunger sliding in the guideway, said plunger having a stem, a coiled spring surrounding the stem and bearing at one end against the plunger and at its other against a tixed centrally apertured guide for the stem, and a link connecting the stern to the gate, the point of connection of the link to the gate moving from one side to the other ot' the axis of the gate as the latter swings from fully open to fully closed position.

5. A carrier comprising a tubular body having an open end. a hinged gate for clos-- ing said end, means providing an elongate guideway adjacent .to the inner wall of the body and extending longitudinally thereof. a plunger sliding in the guideway, said plunger having a stem, said stem lying substantially in that plane of the axis ot' the gate which is parallel to the longitudinal. axis of the carrier, a spring tending to move the plunger away from the open end vof the body, and a link connecting the end of the stem to the gate, the point of connection of the link to the gate being to onel side of the axis of the latter.

6. A carrier having a hollow .body openat one end and a gate for closing said end, said gate comprising a length of wire having its ends journalled in bearings mounted upon the body of the carrier adjacent to its open end, the intermediate portion of the Wire extending transversely across the open end of the carrier When the gate s closed.

7. A carrier having a hollow body open at one end, bearings mounted upon the body adjacent to its open end, a gate for Closing said open endsaid gate comprising a length of Wire having its ends journalled in said bearings and its intermediate portion bent to form a plurality of bights disposed 10 in the same plane and extending across the Open end of the carrier5 and means tending to hold the gate closed, said means being connected to one of seid bghts.

Signed by me at Syracuse N. Y., this 15 thirteenth day of March, 1925.

JAMES T. COWLEY. 

